TRC Final Report

Volume 5

Chapter 5

Subsection 12

Mental health services

102 Prevailing negative perceptions of therapy and its practice prevent people from accessing mental health services. Individuals and communities should be educated about the link between mental health and conflicts of the past. Appropriate mental health initiatives should be linked with developmental projects, for example, the Reconstruction and Development Programme and Masakhane. Mental health cannot be seen in isolation from socio-economic development.

Community-based interventions

103 It is recommended that self-sustaining, community-based survivor support groups be established, staffed by trained facilitators from the community. This method of support and treatment is not a unique concept and enjoys success where facilitators focus on therapy. The support group method represents a cost effective, accessible, non-threatening way in which people can access counselling.

Skills training

104 Community members should be trained in a variety of skills to enable them to assist victims of human rights abuses. These should include crisis management, critical incident briefing, trauma awareness training, referral skills and knowledge of available resources.

Specialised trauma counselling services

105 Specialised emotional trauma counselling services should be established. A national strategy to train trauma counsellors should be developed.

Family-based therapy

106 The impact of gross human rights violations on the family is often underestimated. To address this issue, it is recommended that training programmes for health care workers, aimed at improving their skills in the family systems approach be instituted by the relevant ministries.

Education

107 The standard of black education was appalling and this aspect of the legacy of apartheid is likely to be with us for a long time to come. Education is ripe for reform and the possibilities for its transformation are exciting. However, one of the effects of the past is that it has resulted in a strong culture of often pointless conflict around education matters. The desire to learn in a disciplined environment no longer seems to prevail.

Assistance for continuation of studies

108 It is recommended that the establishment of community colleges and youth centres be prioritised, to facilitate the re-integration of affected youth into society.

109 Specific accelerated adult basic education and training (ABET) programmes should be established to meet the needs of youth and adults who are semi-literate and have lost educational opportunities due to human rights abuses.

Building and improvement of schools

110 Rebuilding of demolished schools, particularly in rural and disadvantaged areas should be prioritised.

Special educational support services

111 Remedial and emotional support should be included in mainstream educational programmes.

112 Mainstream educational facilities should provide skills based training courses in order to respond to the needs of mature students and to help them find employment.